{"id":50856,"date":"2021-11-13T07:47:55","date_gmt":"2021-11-13T11:47:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=50856"},"modified":"2021-11-13T07:47:55","modified_gmt":"2021-11-13T11:47:55","slug":"guest-post-peter-discovers-the-first-fm-capable-cb-radio-for-the-us-market","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/11\/guest-post-peter-discovers-the-first-fm-capable-cb-radio-for-the-us-market\/","title":{"rendered":"Guest Post: Peter discovers the first FM-capable CB radio for the US market"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Peter Laws, who shares the following guest post:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/a>Thomas is Famous!<\/h1>\n

by Peter Laws<\/strong><\/p>\n

A few weeks ago, a summary of the recent change to Title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 95, Subpart D — better known as the rules for the CB Radio Service — was published here<\/a>.\u00a0 That change, following a successful petition for reconsideration of a previous petition allowed FM as an additional mode in the CB Radio Service.\u00a0 The original petition was the one that caused the FCC to do away with the nearly-impossible-to-enforce “DX Rule” that prohibited communications of more than 250 km.\u00a0 For one, the ionosphere had a long history of ignoring the rule entirely, at least for part of the Sun’s eleven-year cycle.<\/p>\n

In that article, the author speculated that it may not be too long before manufacturers brought radios that were capable of FM to market, since they already existed in other markets, namely countries that were members of CEPT.<\/p>\n

That author has been watching the FCC OET site to see who will be the first out of the gate to get an FM CB approved.\u00a0 The Office of Engineering and Technology is the FCC’s line office that handles, among other things, Equipment Authorization.\u00a0 They also handle Experimental Licensing, i.e., “Part 5”, like the recent 630- and 2200-m band projects that resulted in new Amateur Radio allocations and the ongoing 8-m band experiments under WL2XUP (see that license’s details at https:\/\/apps.fcc.gov\/oetcf\/els\/reports\/CallsignSearch.cfm<\/a>).<\/p>\n

OET also provides a public database of equipment authorizations.\u00a0 If you know a radio device’s “FCC ID” (usually an alpha-numeric string found on the label of a device or in the device’s documentation), you can look up the details in the database.\u00a0 A manufacturer’s ID — the first 3 to 5 characters of a product’s ID — will show all the devices that have been authorized.\u00a0 Fortunately, you can limit the search by date as by frequency range. \u00a0 https:\/\/apps.fcc.gov\/oetcf\/eas\/reports\/GenericSearch.cfm<\/a> Authorizations available online go back into the 1990s but the further back the results go, the less detailed they become.<\/p>\n

So who won the race to bring the first FM-capable CB radio to the US market or at least to get a product authorized?\u00a0 Our benefactor, Mr Witherspoon, will be thrilled to hear that the first radio to gain FCC authorization is the President Thomas FCC<\/i><\/b>!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

The President Thomas ASC model in Europe.<\/p><\/div>\n

As soon as President Electronics can get stock to distributors, the radio should be available.\u00a0 This writer has no information about when that may happen.<\/p>\n

The President Thomas FCC <\/b>is an older design (c.2013), meaning that whatever R&D costs President Electronics had for the bulk of the design will have been amortized years ago.\u00a0 As noted in the previous article, changes for conformity with the FCC Part 95 rules are expected to be minimal and likely have to do with locking out the “multi-norm” ability in the new model’s European counterpart.\u00a0 Following FCC rules, this is an AM radio that has FM as well.\u00a0 The new Part 95 regulations require AM in every radio with FM as a possible option.<\/p>\n

Several websites have details on the existing President Thomas ASC<\/b> (ASC is automatic squelch control<\/i>). [See photos above.<\/em>]\u00a0 \u00a0It’s a multi-norm radio as is common in the European market and offers CEPT channels, UK channels, and Polish channels among others.\u00a0 CEPT channels are identical to the FCC allocations, UK channels are completely different though still between 27 and 28 MHz, and Polish channels are exactly like the FCC channels except that they are all 5 kHz lower (i.e., our Channel 19 is 27.185 while their Channel 19 is 27.180).\u00a0 Here is an example of a site with data on the European version: http:\/\/www.cbradio.nl\/president\/thomas.htm<\/a><\/p>\n

FCC authorization was long ago turned over to contract labs.\u00a0 Here is the Equipment Authorization for the President Thomas FCC:<\/p>\n

https:\/\/apps.fcc.gov\/oetcf\/tcb\/reports\/Tcb731GrantForm.cfm?mode=COPY&RequestTimeout=500&tcb_code=&application_id=AgTi5CpzImyrjI5Oicfj2A%3D%3D&fcc_id=2AEOCPC208<\/a><\/p>\n

Peter Laws<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Peter Laws, who shares the following guest post: Thomas is Famous! by Peter Laws A few weeks ago, a summary of the recent change to Title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 95, Subpart D — better known as the rules for the CB Radio Service — […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2644,3],"tags":[5711,604,9474,9482,8969,9481,9536],"class_list":["post-50856","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-cb","category-news","tag-cb","tag-cb-radio","tag-fm-cb","tag-fm-citizens-band-radio","tag-guest-post","tag-peter-laws","tag-president-thomas-fcc"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-deg","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":51124,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/12\/guest-post-peters-fm-cb-update\/","url_meta":{"origin":50856,"position":0},"title":"Guest Post: Peter’s FM CB Update","author":"Thomas","date":"December 11, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Peter Laws, who shares the following guest post: Thomas - Still Famous by Peter Laws We're getting closer to the first legal FM CB on the market in the USA.\u00a0 President Electronics\u00a0 USA has announced that the President Thomas FCC CB radio will hit\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "CB"","block_context":{"text":"CB","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/cb\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/President-Barry-II-CB-FM.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":50443,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/10\/guest-post-citizens-band-fm-mode-is-long-overdue\/","url_meta":{"origin":50856,"position":1},"title":"Guest Post: Citizens Band FM mode is long overdue","author":"Thomas","date":"October 5, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Peter Laws, who shares the following guest post: Adding FM as an allowable mode on CB seems long overdue by Peter Laws The FCC's recent action to add FM as an allowable mode on CB seems long overdue.\u00a0 See the final rule as published\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "CB"","block_context":{"text":"CB","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/cb\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Cobra-29-LX-Max-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Cobra-29-LX-Max-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Cobra-29-LX-Max-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":50406,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/10\/fcc-approves-fm-for-cb-radio\/","url_meta":{"origin":50856,"position":2},"title":"FCC approves FM for CB Radio","author":"Thomas","date":"October 1, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ron who shares the following news via the Southgate ARC: FCC signals FM CB will be permitted on 27 MHz 63 years after the introduction of Class D 27 MHz AM CB Radio the FCC has agreed to permit FM to be used From\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "CB"","block_context":{"text":"CB","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/cb\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Robyn-CB-FM-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Robyn-CB-FM-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Robyn-CB-FM-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Robyn-CB-FM-1.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Robyn-CB-FM-1.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":25458,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/05\/fcc-to-legalize-cb-dxing-and-boost-frs-power\/","url_meta":{"origin":50856,"position":3},"title":"FCC to legalize CB DXing and boost FRS power","author":"Thomas","date":"May 2, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: Southgate ARC) FCC to modernize Part 95 Regs - GMRS, FRS, CB The FCC is to legalize 27 MHz CB DXing and boost power of license exempt UHF FM Family Radio Service (equivalent of UK PMR 446) Under its new Chair Ajit Pai, the FCC is seeking to modernize\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "CB"","block_context":{"text":"CB","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/cb\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/preswashCB.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/preswashCB.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/preswashCB.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/preswashCB.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":34101,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/09\/citizens-band-cb-radio-celebrates-60th-anniversary\/","url_meta":{"origin":50856,"position":4},"title":"Citizens Band (CB) radio celebrates 60th anniversary","author":"Thomas","date":"September 11, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ron, who reminds us that today is Class D CB radio's 60th anniversary. From Wikipedia: On September 11, 1958 the Class D CB service was created on 27 MHz, and this band became what is popularly known today as \"Citizens Band\". There were only\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Robyn-CB-Radio-Robyn-T-240D.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Robyn-CB-Radio-Robyn-T-240D.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Robyn-CB-Radio-Robyn-T-240D.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Robyn-CB-Radio-Robyn-T-240D.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8876,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/03\/drews-cb-tapes\/","url_meta":{"origin":50856,"position":5},"title":"Drew’s CB Tapes","author":"Thomas","date":"March 19, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"SWLing Post reader, Chris, writes: \"I found this web page \u00a0that my be of interest to your blog readers. A guy named Drew Durigan has saved CB radio audio of himself talking to his friends when he was a teenager in the 1970's. Its mostly kids talking smack about each\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"77realisticcbradio","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/77realisticcbradio-214x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50856","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50856"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50856\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50856"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50856"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50856"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}